


3 Weddings and a Funeral

by brunetteandblond



Series: Moving On [14]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, Wakes & Funerals, Wayhaught Wedding, Wedding Fluff, Weddings, jerebin wedding, wyndolls wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 12:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16912791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brunetteandblond/pseuds/brunetteandblond
Summary: Each chapter is a wedding (and the last one is a funeral). Lots of fluff and love and cuteness!The first chapter is the WayHaught wedding, the second is Jerebin's, and the third is WynDolls.Part 14 of Moving On series but can be read alone. Time jumps in each chapter.





	1. together, we become whole

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fauchevalent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fauchevalent/gifts).



Xavier’s back was aching, but he barely felt the pain. He spent hours placing chairs in the backyard of the Homestead with the help of others, but the memory of all the hard work soon washed away once he saw Wynonna.

The eldest Earp was wearing a red, short (almost skater) dress and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. She had these wisps that fell out (since her hair wasn’t exactly long enough for the ponytail) that Dolls loved. He watched her run from room to room, trying to help both her sister and her best friend at the same time.

It reminded him of how restless she was when Waverly asked her to be the Maid of Honor and Nicole asked her to be Best Man. She was so torn and frustrated that Dolls had to go tell the engaged couple what they were doing to the poor woman. After Nicole and Waverly argued about who got Wynonna, the older Earp decided that she would be shared between the both of them and she called herself “The best person of honor,” which everyone else thought was a mouth full, but Wynonna didn’t care.

Following the older Earp’s decision, Jeremy, Dolls, and Doc all decided that they would all be shared between the couple. Their roles were to stand next to their friends when they got married. That was it.

Robin was extremely surprised when Waverly asked him to officiate the wedding. The man had let it slip once that he had done it for a friend in college but never expected that they would ask _him._ It wasn’t that he thought he wasn’t a part of the family. He just didn’t think that they would give him such an important role when he just didn’t feel… _important._

Alice was immediately chosen as flower girl just as Henry was picked to be the ring bearer. Both kids were extremely excited about their jobs, which kept the parents entertained.

The wedding wasn't that big. In fact, only a few were invited. Nicole and Waverly decided to keep it small and reserved for close family and friends. Only having a few people there who supported them fully relieved their stress. Besides, it made everything so easy to plan that the couple was able to get married three months after they became engaged. They also were already talking about having kids, so they wanted to be married as soon as possible.

It was Jeremy and Doc’s job to take care of the kids, and they were struggling. The children were rowdy and wouldn’t stop moving. But the two adults were glad that they weren’t Dolls or Robin.

Robin’s job was to make sure all the little details were perfect. He had to make sure everyone was in their right spots, the music was set up correctly, the food was ready to be eaten, and the guests knew where to sit. He would have been fine if he were working alone, but Waverly made sure that he had help. Gus was the only one that offered to assist, so most of the time he ended up being the one ordered to do things. And he was too afraid of the woman to tell her that she was supposed to be following _his_ orders.

Xavier was in charge of setting everything up. He placed the chairs, tables, and little arch that Nedley carved for the couple. This wouldn’t be a bad job except he was teamed up with Mercedes. It wasn’t like he didn’t like her, she was one of Wynonna’s best friends, but she was a lot to handle (and very chatty).

“So, when are you going to pop the question?” Mercedes asked as she and him rolled the aisle along the grass, between the two sections of seats.

There were two aisles: one for Waverly and one for Nicole to walk down. The arch met in the middle, where the two women would meet and exchange vows.

“All this marriage stuff must have you thinking.”

He wasn’t going to admit to this woman that she was right. Dolls could turn a lot of things off, but he couldn’t get rid of the romantic thoughts that tampered his brain. It was hard to turn off the contagious feeling of ‘happily ever after’ that sappy weddings brought. But he still remembered that things were complicated. Things were always complicated.

“I see that look on your face, X-man,” Mercedes said as she wiggled her finger in front of his face like she had just learned a secret that no one else knew. “You’re gonna propose, aren’t you? You go, bitch.”

Dolls decided to roll his eyes and remain silent. He knew things could only get worse if he pretended to deny that he didn’t want to marry Wynonna.

“I really needed your support. Thank you, Mercedes,” He replied, not being able to keep his snarkiness at bay.

“You’re welcome,” Mercedes told him, not realizing that he was being sarcastic. “So, how big is the diamond? You have bought a ring, right? Do you have it on you?”

He rubbed his temples, wishing that he was far away from her at the moment. But lucky enough for him, they finished the last thing on their checklist. Which only meant that the wedding was going to begin soon.

“Xavier,” Wynonna called out as she almost pranced over to him. When she approached him, she kissed his cheek. “I just checked with Robin. ‘Parently everything is good with him. All the guests are accounted for. Though, I think Gus is torturing him. The wives-to-be are ready, too. Everything’s about to start. I just have to go bring Nedley over to Haught so that I can go to Waves and get her ready to walk down the aisle. You good here?”

Even though he had trouble listening to what she said after she said ‘Xavier’ (ever since they had started dating, she tried to say his first name more often, and every time she said it, he fell that much more in love with her), he nodded and answered, “We’re good here. Should we stand up at the front?”

“Yep. Go get Robin. I’ll find wherever Doc and Jeremy chased the kids to. They walk down first. I’ll see you there.”

Before he even had a chance to reply, she was already off to find her friends. Dolls immediately ran to the front of the house where it looked like Robin was catching a minute of silence as he ran over what he was going to say.

“You okay, Jett?” Dolls asked the man. The two of them quickly became friends due to their connection with Jeremy (though, Robin was slightly jealous of the man that his husband thought so highly of). “You look slightly traumatized.”

Robin let out an anxious chuckle and admitted, “That woman is… I can see where Wynonna and Waverly get their stubbornness from.”

“Yeah,” Dolls agreed gently. “This family is certainly a lot.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I don’t know if Wynonna ever told you, but a long time ago, about a year after Doc and Waverly were gone, Jeremy and I planned on leaving. Getting out of Purgatory. But we couldn’t. Because we’re family.”

Xavier nodded, knowing exactly what the man meant. “I’m glad you’re here, Robin. I’m glad Jeremy found someone like you.”

“Heh, me too,” Robin replied before he started walking toward the backyard. “I couldn’t even imagine missing this. Besides, I’m practically running this thing.”

“You’re going to do a great job,” Dolls told him fiercely. “Let’s get up there.”

Robin stood in the middle of the aisle, where the arc stood, as Doc approached them (looking tired and out of breath). Jeremy stood on the other side of Robin (next to Dolls) as they waited for the guests to sit down and for the music to start.

The second the music began, Alice started walking down one side of the aisle, throwing petals all over the place, as Henry came in from the other side. They grinned at each other, excited to meet at the middle. And once they did, they high fived, causing everyone to laugh.

Then, they caught sight of the two women dressed in white coming from both sides of the aisle.

On one side, there was Waverly, who was wearing a flowing gown. Lace hugged her body as if the dress was created for her. Her hair perfectly caressed her bare back, shimmering in the reflection of the sun. She was squeezing her sister’s hand. Not because she was scared. But because she was _so excited_. And, she was afraid of tripping. She stared at her fiancee and felt warmth seeing the redhead glow.

On the other side, Nicole’s hand gripped Nedley’s arm. Her red hair was kept tidy in several pins that prevented her hair from falling into her face. Her hair slightly brushed against her bare shoulders as her dress was sleeveless. The dress stopped at her knees, but no one could deny that it was made for a wedding. She looked regal and strong. Little did anyone know, she gained her courage from her soon-to-be-wife, who was now close enough to touch.

Once they met in the middle, Wynonna put the hand she was holding into Nicole’s before leaning close to her best friend and said, “Take care of her.”

Nicole held in her tears as she took her fiancee’s hand from her best friend. She nodded and replied in a whisper, “Always.”

The best friends shared a look of utter devotion. To Waverly. To Alice. To each other. To their family and the life they built together.

Nedley (who was barely keeping it together at this point) put Nicole’s other hand and gently placed it in Waverly’s other hand. And now, they were holding each other up as they stared into each other’s eyes. They both had the strong urge to kiss right then at the moment, but they didn’t. They knew that part came later.

Their attention jumped from each other to Robin the second he cleared his throat.

“Family, friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Waverly Earp and Nicole Haught. When I moved back to Purgatory, Waverly and Nicole were already in a secure relationship. I remember wishing that I was present earlier so I could have had the honor of watching two kind, warm, strong women falling in love. But from hearing stories from them and others, I think I know what happened. Their beginning sounds almost like a fairytale. A lonely new deputy comes to town and finds a bartender in need of help to take her top off. It’s a kind of story I think we all would like to have.

“Not that their relationship has always been easy. Like every relationship, there were hurdles, bumps, and in their case, long disappearances. But none of that mattered. Because when they come together, there is nothing that can get in the way of their love, as cliche as that sounds. So here we are today and they are finally getting married. But I’ve been talking for too long. Let’s let them say their vows.”

Robin turned to Nicole first and she nodded curtly.

“I am a natural born protector. My whole life, the only thing I have ever wanted to do was help people. When Purgatory called and offered me a job to do that, I came running. I came to this town thinking I was going to save it. I never thought that this town and the people in it would save me. Literally and figuratively.

“Waverly, you came to me like a guardian angel. It was like you somehow knew I needed rescuing, without even me knowing I needed it either. You wrapped your arms around me and promised you wouldn’t let go. And as someone who hadn’t experienced unconditional love like that, it was eye-opening. You not only taught me how to love, but you also taught me how to love and accept myself.

“There are these moments I wake up next to you and wonder how the hell I got so lucky. How, after everything that has happened, an angel like you chose _me._ And if I told you this when we were alone, I know you would hold me close and tell me that I deserve you. That there was nothing that could keep you away from me. And I like to think that’s true. Because everything has been stacked against us and we kept fighting. And even when you were lost, you still found me. And I am so lucky to marry my guardian angel, who’s always there to love and shine your unwavering light on me.”

Waverly let out a breath of air, in awe of her soon-to-be-wife and her loving speech. Tears flooded her eyes just as they fell down Nicole’s cheeks. Henry passed his aunt a ring and Nicole slid it on the younger Earp’s finger.

The brunette chuckled and loved the way the band fit her finger perfectly. She cleared her throat so that it wouldn’t crack.

“Being an Earp means that I deny a lot of feelings. Wynonna can attest to that. You could call it an Earp curse. But the curse, I have recently realized, has been broken in the past couple of years. And I think Wynonna and I can both owe that to Nicole Haught, the love of my life. I hid my feelings for so long that when I met you, it was like breathing new air. I felt like I was truly breathing for the first time. I was no longer purely surviving, but I was _living._

“It took me a while for me to come to terms with my feelings for the new girl in town, but once we had kissed, I knew it was right. It felt so real... like you were finally opening my eyes to a life I wanted. And being in love, it made me the happiest person I had been in years. So you can only imagine how I feel about marrying you, Nicole.

“If I’m your guardian angel, you fixed my wings. Because you’re my savior. My endless supporter. And I swear to you, Nicole Rayleigh Haught, I’ll always come back to you. Because you’re my always.”

Without breaking eye contact, Waverly slipped a ring on to Nicole’s finger. And before Robin could tell them to kiss, the two of them embraced one another and their lips crashed into each other’s. They barely heard the roar of the applause and cheering. They held each other so close, no one was sure if they would ever break apart. But they did. Not by choice, of course.

When their arms fell to their sides, they felt the bone-crushing hugs coming from their family. There was a lingering thought that existed in both of their heads. They both realized that they finally felt accepted. And cherished. And whole.


	2. finding home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jerebin wedding!

Robin Jett was not an idiot. He knew that when he married Jeremy Chetri, he was also marrying Wynonna Earp and Nicole Haught. Which, a year ago, wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing. He had grown to love Jeremy and his friends. But a lot had changed over a year.

Waverly and Doc had gone missing. And as much as they all tried to not give up hope, it didn’t seem like they were going to come back.

He cared for them both, he did. But he just didn’t know them very well. So when he watched the others break apart, he was the only one left to help put them back together again. But he didn’t know _how._

Jeremy didn’t talk much about his loss and what he experienced as a child. But Robin could tell that losing Waverly and Doc brought back a lot of unwelcome memories for him. He gave Jeremy his hand, his shoulder, and all of his heart. It took a few months, but gradually, Jeremy climbed out of the darkness and found the light from the love he shared with Robin.

Which was a stark difference than Wynonna and Nicole, who were getting worse instead of better. Haught, with her incessant drinking, angry outbursts, and cold shoulder. And Earp, with her unbreakable silence, far away eyes, and withering body. Jeremy and Robin tried their hardest to help. But it seemed like they were too far gone to make a difference.

They walked on eggshells around them and hoped that _something_ would happen. Something that would make them realize that they had to continue living, even if it meant that they couldn’t do that with Doc or Waverly. But they were getting tired of waiting. They were tired of feeling like they had to put their life on hold for everyone else.

Jeremy felt like he had to stay, but he started seeing that his boyfriend was slowly fading in the shadows. He knew that Robin would never ask for them to leave Purgatory (he loved him for that), but Jeremy also knew that if they stayed any longer, the town that no longer felt like home could tear them apart. And as much as he loved Nicole and Wynonna, he needed _more._

Jeremy and Robin are _that_ couple that bought rings and planned on proposing on the same night. They ate in a restaurant a town away from Purgatory and felt a weight off their shoulder. Like this was how their life could be all the time.

Once Jeremy wrapped his fingers around his now fiance’s hand, he whispered, “We have to leave, don’t we?”

Robin ached for his lover. He knew how much pain Jeremy was going through to have admitted that. The brown-haired man nodded and watched as his fiance’s eyes filled up with tears.

“I don’t want to leave them,” Jeremy confessed, referring to his best friends. “But we can’t raise kids here. Not with them around. Not in Purgatory. I know it’s getting safer, but there is just so much… shit here.”

“I know this will be hard,” Robin told him sincerely. “But we can do this, J. And I think that they will be happy for us. I really do. But we should tell them sooner than later.”

And that’s what they did. They planned a dinner for the four of them (forcing the two women to be in one room together). Selfishly, they wanted one more night together as a family.

Nicole and Wynonna stayed silent during most of the meal. They wouldn’t look at each other. They barely acknowledged each other’s presence. Wynonna avoided everyone’s eyes. She didn’t want everyone to see that she wasn’t eating. That she was breaking apart. And Nicole was too drunk to stay focused on anything. But even though the circumstances weren’t great (Jeremy was hoping that they would be in a better mood), the couple knew that they had to tell them.

“We’re getting married,” Jeremy almost squeaked out, causing his fiance to grab his hand, trying to comfort him.

That statement caused Nicole and Wynonna to finally look at the both of them. Jeremy and Robin watched as Nicole’s face went through a range of emotions. Surprise, almost joy, sadness, and then anger. Wynonna’s face remained light like she was truly happy for the couple.

“That’s great, guys. You both are so good together,” Wynonna told them honestly.

If anything, Wynonna’s support made it harder for Jeremy to finish what he was going to tell them. Robin squeezed his hand, giving him the push to continue.

“After we get married, we’re leaving,” Jeremy admitted. “We don’t want to leave you guys. We love you. We just… can’t be here anymore. I’m so sorry.”

They both stared at him. Nicole looked blank. Wynonna looked understanding.

“Don’t apologize,” Wynonna replied in a whisper. “Things haven’t been good here for a while. I get it. I am so thankful for everything you both have done. For me. For my family. I will never forget--”

“How the _hell_ c-can you say that?” Nicole sneered, getting up from the table, pushing it away almost violently. She glared at Wynonna for what seemed like the first time in months. “How can you of all people be okay with this? They’re leaving! They’re leaving _us._ They’re leaving Waverly!” Her voice cracked and angry tears spilled from her eyes. Before anyone could say anything, she left the room and left the house, leaving it somehow more silent than when the dinner began.

Wynonna turned back to her friends and saw how terrified they looked. “She doesn’t mean it,” She tried to reassure them. “She’s angry and she’s taking it out on you. I’m really happy for you both, really. And Haught will be, too. I love you both, but I have to go check on her. Make sure she doesn’t do something she will regret.”

And then she left.

A soft sob escaped Jeremy’s mouth and Robin pulled his fiance into his embrace. He promised him that things would get better. But even Robin didn’t believe himself. He didn’t think that it would be good ever again.

He was more surprised than anyone when things did get better.

Only an hour later, Nicole and Wynonna came back. The brunette looked less empty and the redhead looked calmer and soberer. The change was so drastic, it seemed like something magical happened in the barn where they had retreated to.

“I am so sorry,” Nicole apologized to her friends. “I am an ass for what I said. I know you aren’t leaving Doc and Waverly. I know you both have been trying your hardest. And I owe you both so much. I’m so happy that you have found each other and that you are getting married.”

Jeremy stood up and hugged the redhead. Robin wrapped his arms around them both and Wynonna joined in. For the first time in a year, they felt hope for the future. They felt stronger and like a family again. 

* * *

After Wynonna and Nicole disclosed their plan about getting Alice back, the engaged couple decided that when they were going to move, they would take a trip altogether to get Alice back and move somewhere new.

Late night packing and pizza was how the quartet spent their last few weeks together as a group. Nicole and Wynonna helped them get their stuff together as the two men helped them babyproof the Homestead. Things finally felt like they were getting better. Which, somewhat confused Robin and Jeremy. Because slowly, the town started feeling like home again.

A week before their departure, Jeremy and Robin had their wedding. The ceremony was small. The only attendants were Wynonna, Nicole, and Robin’s friends, and his family (who reluctantly accepted their son’s choice of partner). It was small, but beautiful. They got married in the town church, which Robin’s family was insistent on.

Nicole and Wynonna had a hard time putting brave faces knowing that their friends were leaving, but they were happy for them. They felt twinges of sadness when they thought of how excited Waverly would have been to see her favorite couple get married, but they tried to push away those thoughts for the sake of the happy couple.

During the reception, Jeremy and Robin danced and with one look, they came to a sudden conclusion: they couldn’t leave. Not now.

The married couple pulled their best friends into a four-way-dance, causing all of them to laugh at the awkwardness of everyone’s dancing skills. It was a pure moment. A moment where none of them thought about who they were missing. The husbands knew then, that they were making the right decision.

“We’re staying,” Jeremy announced as he swirled Nicole around and Robin swayed with Wynonna. “We decided that we’re going to stay. Here.”

Both women stopped dancing and turned to each other in surprise.

“What?” Wynonna breathed out, wanting to make sure that she was hearing him correctly.

“We’re staying here,” Robin reiterated. “We decided that Purgatory is the place to be for us at the moment. We want to be here.”

“And we want to be the best Uncles for the Pod!” Jeremy added, referring to Alice.

Nicole looked uncertain. “Are you sure? Because you don’t need to stay for us. We’ll be okay. You can go if you need to.”

Both men shook their heads and Robin said, “No. We want to stay. If that’s okay with you two, of course.”

Wynonna and Nicole shared a short look before wrapping their arms around both men. There was no way they were letting go of the couple if they could prevent it.

They spent the rest of the night dancing, laughing, and being themselves. It was the best night any of them had for a year. Things were finally getting better.


	3. you're the light at the end of the road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WynDolls wedding!

When Nicole let it slip that Wynonna’s favorite place was the ocean, Xavier knew that it should be the place where they exchange vows. The oldest Earp tried telling her fiance that it wasn’t necessary, that getting everyone there would be too much of a hassle, but Dolls wouldn’t allow any excuses to get in the way of their happiness. She ended up agreeing, secretly thankful that her best friend ‘let it slip’ that she loved the beach.

The decided on following what Waverly and Nicole had done and decided on getting married a few months after he had proposed. It wasn’t like they needed to set up anything. They were planning on exchanging vows on the pier. No money required there.

Wynonna even bought an inexpensive dress. It was white but untraditional in every other way. It was flowing. Unlike almost every other dress that the ex-Heir wore, the fabric didn’t hug her body. The beach dress hung off her chest, hanging all the way to her bare feet. Elegantly, it swayed in the wind.

The road trip to the coast was full of laughs, singing, and taking turns sleeping. They only took two cars, so there wasn’t much room. But that didn’t matter. Everyone enjoyed each other’s company.

It was warmer than the last time Wynonna and Nicole were at the beach since it was July. But the warmth didn’t turn the rain away. When they finally made it to the pier, it started to pour. Everyone’s clothes were getting ruined, but it didn’t matter. They ran to the pier and it started raining harder.

“You guys say your vows,” Robin told the couple as they embraced each other. “So we can get out of this rain.”

Xavier went first. “For the longest time, I wasn’t even sure I was human. Soldier, agent, dragon, I thought I lived based on a title or job that was forced upon me. But choosing you, Wynonna Earp. Falling in love with you, that has made me feel real. Like a person. You’ve made me a better person and a better man. You’ve shown me that I am more than what the government made me. You showed me that there’s a life worth living.

“At first, you were a thorn in my side. I was sent to be nothing other than your boss. And I was. For maybe a couple weeks at most. You turned my life upside down. You taught me how to enjoy life. To laugh. To love. You became my partner, my ally, my friend. Our romance took a while. I was afraid of my feelings. I was trained to never feel them. But every time I saw you, I knew you were special. And I knew my life was going to change forever. And I knew I was probably going to lose my job. But that no longer mattered to me. And as scary as that was, I had you by my side. And with you, I felt like everything was going to be okay.

“And I swear to love you. To hold you when you need it. To surround you, not coddle you, with my love and unconditional adoration. You’re my strength, you’re my power, you’re my hope. And as your husband, I swear to honor you, trust you, support you, and be there for you. Whenever you need me.” He slipped the simple band onto Wynonna’s wet finger.

She laughed, trying to not get too emotional. “God, before I met you, the only thing I was sure of was that I was a screw-up. I drank, I messed up, I cursed, hell, I was cursed. And I thought that there was no way in hell I’d ever deserve someone as good as you. I thought I’d end up alone or as Waverly and Nicole’s third wheel. But then there was Alice. And my other family. And then there was you. The bane of my existence. At first, I thought you were sent to me as my punishment for being a delinquent for so long.

“You were everything I stood against. Everything I fought so hard not to be. At least, I thought you were. But that’s when I barely knew you. When all I knew was that you were my authority figure and I wanted to get on your nerves. But goddammit, Xavier Pamela Dolls, you proved me wrong. And I’m so glad you did. Because nothing makes me happier than when I’m with you. As my equal. As my partner. As my friend. As my husband.

“And I promise to continue being the thorn in your side. I will poke you, I will annoy you, but I will never let you go. And I will never stop loving you. Because you changed my life. You made me feel like I really was a hero. Like I am a hero. And I will always, _always_ , save you.”  

Wynonna pushed the ring on Xavier’s finger and they kissed. They didn’t even realize that it started to thunder. Their only focus was on each other. Everything else was unimportant.

* * *

After the gang ran to the house that they rented, everyone changed into their pyjamas and they ate cake (just as Wynonna wanted it).

The brunette couldn’t help but notice that her daughter gravitated toward Dolls the entire day. She swelled with pride and warmth seeing Alice bond with her now husband. Everything was so perfect, it almost seemed like a dream. She never thought she would have a life like this. She never thought she would have the privilege to be loved by this many people.

As the thunder shook the house, Wynonna looked around the room as everyone huddled under the blankets, drank champagne, and told each other stories. She thought it was cliche and overused when people said that home was a person. For her, home had only been the Homestead (and Waverly) for so long. But now, even in a house that was unfamiliar, she felt like she was home surrounded by the people she loved.

Waverly wasn’t drinking. It normally wouldn’t have been a detail that Wynonna noticed, but the older Earp knew how much her sister liked to celebrate weddings. Especially since it was Wynonna’s.

When the younger Earp offered to get another bottle, the older sibling got up as well and followed her into the kitchen.

Wynonna lowered her voice and said, “Baby girl, is there something that you have to tell me?”

Waverly couldn’t hide the grin that formed on her face, even though she attempted to keep her face neutral. But she was too excited to stay calm. She didn’t even need to say anything for Wynonna to know the answer. They both squealed as they wrapped their arms around each other.

“I didn’t want to spoil _your_ day!” Waverly told her after her sister kissed her cheek. “I found out only a few days ago. Only Nicole knows. We wanna keep in on the down low. At least for a little while.”

“Hey, I get it, baby mama. I’m so happy for you. And your wife. I know how much she wants more kids.”

“And do you?” Waverly asked her sister. “Have you and Dolls talked about it?”

Wynonna nodded and answered, “We have. I think that we’re going to start trying soon.”

The younger Earp squeaked and cheered, “Our kids can grow up together and be best friends! Do it, ‘Nonna! Get pregnant.”

The older woman rolled her eyes and shook her head (even though she secretly thought about the same thing). Damn, she was getting soft. 

* * *

Wynonna wrapped her arms tightly around her husband as she nuzzled her head into his chest. He was warm (like always). She was never one for healthy, stable relationships. But here she was. Married to a man that she admired and loved. Married, with a kid, and hoping for even more?

“Xavier,” She murmured (still getting used to the way his name felt on her tongue) as she trailed her fingers along his chest. “Is it crazy to want kids now? Already?”

She felt him chuckle as his body moved up and down. “Crazy, Earp? You should know by now that you aren’t crazy. I’ve never thought you were crazy. And I really, _really,_ want to have kids with you.”

“Now?” Wynonna whispered, still slightly aware that she was extremely vulnerable at the moment.

He kissed her head and replied, “Now. Now would be good.”

She felt her lips twinge up into a smile and she pressed her lips against his. Now really was a perfect time.


	4. it's painful, but it's not the end

Wynonna clung to her sister and held on for dear life. Their hands were clasped together, bodies so close they almost became one. They held each other up, giving each other the support that they both needed.

A few feet away, Nicole and Xavier remained with the officer, speaking to him about the details that their wives didn’t need to hear. Even the two friends found themselves inching closer to each other. This was the last thing they expected. And at their workplace, with others watching them in Nicole’s office, they felt that much more uncomfortable.

When the man left, the two of them stared at each other, not knowing what to do. They wanted to comfort their loved ones, of course. That was all they wanted to do. But they also knew that the siblings needed each other.

After a few minutes, the siblings pulled apart but didn’t let go of each other. Waverly had tears running down her cheeks, her face becoming redder as the time progressed. Wynonna wasn’t crying. She was aching and hurting, but no physical reaction came. This wasn’t unusual for her, but she couldn’t help but wish she reacted to these things like a normal person.

“What can we do?” Nicole whispered, trying to keep her distance, but wanting them to know she was there for them.

Waverly wiped her tears away. As continued to hold her sister’s hand, she reached for her wife’s body, feeling the redhead pull her into an embrace.

Xavier walked up to Wynonna. He wasn’t surprised by the lack of water in her eyes. He knew his girl. He knew that the pain she bore was usually kept on this inside.

He put his hand on her cheek. She moved her head slightly so that she could kiss his palm. Silently letting him know that she was thankful that he was there. Thankful for his support. But when Nicole let go of her sister, she immediately turned back to Waverly, giving her all the attention.

Dolls knew that his wife was protecting his sister-in-law. That was obvious. Wynonna couldn’t take care of her when they were younger. But she was here now. And she was ready to pull her sister in and never let go. And he was so goddamn proud.

“I wanna go to Shorty’s,” Waverly admitted carefully as her head hung on her sister’s shoulder. “I need to--”

“Shhhh,” Wynonna interrupted and wiped away Waverly’s tears. “No explanation needed. Let’s go.” She turned to her boss and partner. “Do you mind if we--”

“Of course, not,” Nicole told her. “Go. We’ll hold down the fort here. Text us if you need us. We’ll pick up the kiddos. We won’t say anything to them until we talk about it as a group, okay?”

The siblings nodded and shared looks with their partners. They tried to reassure them that they were okay, even though there was no way that they were remotely alright.

The Earp sisters left the building and walked to Shorty’s, arm in arm. They were silent, both dealing with more emotions than they liked. They noticed Doc look up at them and frown. He could tell immediately that there was something wrong.

They sat down at the bar and looked around the place they basically grew up in.

“What can I get you, ladies?” Doc asked them, not knowing exactly what to say. He knew that they probably needed comfort, but he knew they wouldn’t come here to get it.  

“Something strong,” Wynonna told him, finding her voice louder than she had expected.

He stared at them gently before pouring them drinks. Neither of them was much of a drinker anymore. In fact, since Doc had returned home, he had never seen Wynonna get as drunk as she used to. He supposed it was all due to Alice. And maybe the fact that she was starting to gain healthier coping mechanisms.

But now they were both parents to two beautiful kids. And they rarely ever even got tipsy anymore.

Wynonna let the alcohol burn her throat. The pain was welcoming but she recognized its danger. For years, she had tried so hard to stop relying on the drink, but it was now calling her name, and she couldn’t refuse. Not today.

Waverly stared at her drink, but then turned her attention back to her sister. “I spent so much time hating her. Wishing that I had a different mother. Someone that didn’t abandon us. But I miss her so much, now.”

The older Earp stared at her younger sister, hiding the shame that entered her mind. “I abandoned you, too. And I--” She stopped, losing the words that she wanted to say.

Waverly put her hand on Wynonna’s shoulder, tears falling down her eyes. She could see the pain in her sister’s far away eyes.

“You were the best sister I could ever ask for,” The younger Earp stated firmly. “I know how hard it was for you then. You were nothing like mama.”

Wynonna grunted (annoyed that her sister saw straight through her) and muttered, “Sometimes this world is so goddamn unfair.”

The older sister stared at her empty glass and pondered if she wanted more. The desire was there. But then she thought of Xavier and the look of worry he would have if she came home wasted. And she thought of her daughters: Alice and Eliza. And she finally thought of Waverly. There was no way she was going to fuck up. Not now.

“I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve stayed. To take care of you. To love you--”

Waverly wrapped her arms around the woman who started to shake in her arms. “You did the best you could, ‘Nonna. You’ve always done the best you could. I’ve always known that.”

“I’m going to miss her so much,” Wynonna admitted as she pressed her head into her sister’s neck.

“Me too,” Waverly replied, squeezing the older woman tighter.

In each other’s arms, the grief wasn’t as deep. The darkness felt a little lighter. And they knew that they were going to be okay. 

* * *

Alice didn’t know her grandmother. Her mom told her stories about the woman, but she had never met her namesake, and now she never would. It made her sad to think about. And she hurt when she saw how much pain her mom and aunt were in. She wished there was something she could do to make it easier for them.

“How can I help?” Alice asked in a whisper after her mother spent time delicately telling her daughter about Michelle Gibson’s death.

“Oh, baby girl,” Wynonna muttered as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. “You just being here is enough for me. She would have loved you, kid.”

Once they let go of the embrace, Wynonna turned to her husband, who was holding their two-year-old daughter. Eliza’s hands were reaching for her mom. Xavier passed the toddler to her mother before kissing her forehead. He pulled the four of them together into a tight embrace. They were all there for Wynonna.

The door suddenly opened and the Haught-Earp twins ran into the house. Theo Curtis and Julian (Jay) Randy Haught-Earp immediately greeted Wynonna, who was holding their best friend, Eliza. The mom gently put her daughter down and they started to chase each other around the house. The three of them were practically siblings as they lived in houses a few feet away from each other. They could practically yell at each other from their windows.

Alone, the three kids weren’t huge troublemakers. But together, they liked to create chaos. Especially if Nico and Malak joined them. Jeremy and Robin’s youngest kids were rambunctious but cute as hell. They could get away with anything. The adults knew that the five kids were going to be very difficult teenagers.

“You can go play with them, kid,” Wynonna told her daughter as the young brunette let go of Nicole’s hug.

Alice was torn, but she smiled gratefully. “Call me if you need me, Mama.”

Wynonna nodded but felt relieved that her responsible daughter was watching all the kids. She had a lot on her shoulders without having to worry about the kind of trouble the gang of kids could make.

The redhead walked over to her best friend and wrapped her arms around her. They hadn’t gotten time to talk since they had gotten the news. This was the first time they had to grieve since Waverly and Doc had gone missing. They weren’t used to hurting without each other.

“I called Gus,” Waverly told her sister, her voice slightly unsteady. “She’ll be here tomorrow. I talked to the funeral home. We can have the service tomorrow, but I was told that we should talk to the lawyers before we decide anything.”

“All I know is that we aren’t burying her next to daddy,” Wynonna replied darkly.

There was no argument there.

“We should probably talk to the lawyers today if we want to have the service tomorrow. What do you think, ‘Nonna?”

Wynonna didn’t really want to think about it. She knew that once the funeral happened, it would all be final. That her mom was dead and not coming back. But she nodded anyway. To get it over with.

“We’ll make food here,” Nicole told her wife and best friend. “Unless you want one of us to come with?”

“No,” Waverly replied with a small smile. “We’ve got it. But thank you, babe. We will hopefully be back soon.”

* * *

The will was to be expected. It was just another check on the checklist. They then planned for the funeral. Something they weren’t really looking forward to. But there would be an after party at Shorty’s. Like Michelle would have wanted.

The Earp’s weren’t religious. And while they didn’t care that the service was a little preachy, they were grateful when the whole thing was over. They weren’t the kind of people to feel better and find solace after an hour in church. But when they looked around, they found that most of the town had come. And it seemed to be helping some people.

Waverly and Wynonna held onto each other as they also held hands with their partners. Both were surviving, but the pain was still a lot to handle. Even after everything that had happened. Michelle was still their mom.

The party at Shorty’s was for close friends and family only. Wynonna couldn’t help but think that her mother would have wanted them all to be drunk, but she knew better than to do that. She would be better than her mother.

“She was a good woman,” Doc told her before kissing Wynonna’s cheek gently. “She would be so proud of you, Wynonna. Just look at what you’ve done here. I’m impressed every day.”

Her eyes followed his line of sight. She saw Dolls throwing darts with Nicole and Jeremy (who was failing adorably). She watched as the redhead shoved Xavier slightly once he his dart hit the bullseye.

She then saw Robin showing Eliza, Jay, Theo, Nico, and Malak a magic trick. He didn’t really know what he was doing but the kids were kept entertained. She immediately turned once she heard a laugh that could only belong to her daughter’s.

Alice was laughing at whatever Mercedes was telling her and Henry. Wynonna snorted once she saw Nedley roll his eyes at whatever the woman told the kids.

It took her a second for her to realize that she didn’t see Waverly anywhere.

“I’m going to go find Waverly,” Wynonna muttered as she left Doc and walked out the door. She found her sister outside, crying.

“Shit balls,” Waverly whispered once she heard Wynonna approach her. “You should go back in there. I’ll be okay.”

“Nah…” Wynonna replied and stood next to her and put her head on her sister’s shoulder. “I think I’m good out here. What’s going on in that sexy head of yours?”

The younger Earp let out a short chuckle before admitting, “I feel like I should be sadder than I am. And I guess I’m sad about not being that sad. Which sounds stupid out loud.”

“Not stupid,” Wynonna corrected slowly. “I get it. You didn’t know her that well, baby girl. You shouldn’t be expected to be missing her like you would be if she didn’t leave us. Twice. You barely knew her. We barely knew her.”

“Why didn’t she get us out of there?” Waverly asked, her voice lowered, a little ashamed that she was asking it. The question had been in her head since she was a kid and now it was eating at her. “When she left, why didn’t she take us with her?”

Wynonna had no idea that her sister was thinking about this. She would be lying if she didn’t wonder about this as well.

“I think that she loved us very much,” Wynonna answered slowly. “But she also knew that if she took us with her that daddy would come after us. I know you don’t remember much of him. But he was a dick. Vindictive as hell. And he had a mean streak. Part of me doesn’t blame her for leaving that. Besides, if she took us with her, we would have never met Nicole. Or Xavier. And we wouldn’t have our crazy kids.”

Waverly’s eyes bore into her sister’s. “Was daddy-- I don’t remember him that well-- did he hurt mama? Did he hurt us?”

The older sister didn’t know how to reply. “He was a mean drunk. He’d hit mama. And sometimes me and Willa. But I don’t remember it happening too often.”

Waverly thought through what her sister revealed and whispered, “I think it’s time that we try to forgive her. Don’t you think?”

Wynonna nodded and wrapped her arms around her sibling, sharing the love between them. “Yeah, baby girl. I do.”


End file.
